Materials strength aside, I wonder if a sphere would be the optimal shape for a structure so large that it occupies a wide gradient of pressures.

I wonder what shape might be more efficient.

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I have the idea of a structure behaving "Earthlike," where the sky is up, and the globe aligns with it while rotating. Yet it could dive in bad weather, or even take evasive action in the case of a great cataclysm. Material scientists would have great fun throwing in on the building materials. Mechanical engineers working with those materials would fully enjoy their work. It could be ultra modern, and a great challenge. Seems it would be fun stuff for a large workforce.

People today want to invest in upgrading present infrastructure. Why? not build new? Concrete and rusting steel failed in my view. We now have new materials, and better ways to travel and communicate. Doing it the old way is not smart.

A more appropriate shape for a pressurized-but-internally-open vessel that spans a wide gradient of pressures would be an inverted cone. This would optimize the pressure over the surface of the vessel at all depths. (It would have a number of other advantageous features as well, such as maximizing the light-gathering/redistribution effect.)

Of course, you would never build such a structure (of any shape) of that size that's internally open. Any failure would result in complete flooding, and loss of all but the luckiest lives in a matter of seconds.

A more appropriate shape for a pressurized-but-internally-open vessel that spans a wide gradient of pressures would be an inverted cone. This would optimize the pressure over the surface of the vessel at all depths. (It would have a number of other advantageous features as well, such as maximizing the light-gathering/redistribution effect.)

Of course, you would never build such a structure (of any shape) of that size that's internally open. Any failure would result in complete flooding, and loss of all but the luckiest lives in a matter of seconds.

You would build it as orbs-and-tubes, rife with pressure bulkheads.

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No reason the skin couldn't be adaptable, and take any shape. The whole structure could be totally adaptable to its environment, saving interplanetary rocks. Water is a great insulator from projectiles. Also considering water is the greatest resource on the planet I'm sure the chemists would have great fun with it, along with the material scientists. It would be AE - Artificial Earth - self contained absolutely defensible life containment facility. I see hospitals, research facilities, and schools at the center hub, with a humanistic technocracy as government. Throw that into Sim-City, and see how it plays out. If it works someone will build it. TBH, the atmosphere of Earth seems very frail. The AE could have a much more robust atmosphere for life.

A more appropriate shape for a pressurized-but-internally-open vessel that spans a wide gradient of pressures would be an inverted cone. This would optimize the pressure over the surface of the vessel at all depths. (It would have a number of other advantageous features as well, such as maximizing the light-gathering/redistribution effect.)

Of course, you would never build such a structure (of any shape) of that size that's internally open. Any failure would result in complete flooding, and loss of all but the luckiest lives in a matter of seconds.

You would build it as orbs-and-tubes, rife with pressure bulkheads.

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You would build the sphere on land first . Then pressurize the sphere positively , so that the pressure pushes OUT , different from biological research labs , which draws in .

The sphere is open at the top - above water. Thus, it is at one atmosphere throughout.

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The idea is brilliant, but the structural problem is that the deeper you go the greater the external pressure is on the hull.
In water the external pressure adds 1 atmoshphere every 30 foot and increases with every foot deeper than that. So practical size becomes an issue.

This 1920's silent had amazing architecture - the spiral staircase, the shapes of the windows. Much more appealing than the slop they erect in ChiTown and NYC. Could hang cables from those 'high altitude statues to 'a lack of imagination' using them for transportation - draping the buildings. No underground, no cars, no sidewalks. Just hook up and go. Let the bureaucrats build imaginative office stages enclosed by shape changing dynamic skins.

Are you totally high? You realize this could only be a toy for the world's elite? It's a gigantic submarine. We need reasonably dense, mixed use urban development, where industry can co-exist with residences, retail space, and public parks - everything accessible with mass transportation.

Are you totally high? You realize this could only be a toy for the world's elite? It's a gigantic submarine. We need reasonably dense, mixed use urban development, where industry can co-exist with residences, retail space, and public parks - everything accessible with mass transportation.

Otherwise, you're better off with a barge.

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He's not seriously proposing it as a solution to anything. He's just imagining.

I'm amazed that there is enough food and water for the urban populations around the world. Problem 1 is population. Get it down to a few million really smart people, and then work on problem 2. Why are the people of Earth oblivious to the problem? It's easily solved with reproductive inhibitors, or do we want to populate our way into starvation? So much senselessness on this planet. Our hero's: I want to launch my Chevy beater into space. Why? Whywar? Now it's Iran in Syria. Just another place to use up all those weapons, reduce the populations, level the towns, enrich the weapons dealers, and basically destroy the hopes and dreams of family life in the area. Just how stupid - on a scale of 2 are people - who would rather die than solve life's simple problems? Oh gee. I would rather eat the soap than do the laundry. That's a 2.

Sure. Population control worked so well for the Nazis. The world loved it.

And for the Chinese. They didn't need inhibitors, they just passed a law. They were only allowed one baby per family.
The law did work. It was the resultant atrocities that didn't work so well.
See, the families wanted boys. Guess what happened to any girls that were born?